pictures of the day: april 5

It was a beautiful, beautiful weekend. I know because I spent five minutes sitting on a chair (and eating a peanut butter + jam sandwich) in the bright sunshine in front of the studio. And then I went back to work. It's pretty rare that I get a weekend off from workshops, and rather than spend too much time relaxing, I spent it catching up on printing samples to bring to the Stationery Show next month.

This morning I cleaned up a bit, and started mixing more ink--and took some photos for a sneak peek!

mmm...pomegranate green tea.

more quirky love notes

 

new styles and colors of last word notes

 

mixing up big batches of ink

and tying up the forms when I'm done!

So posting might be a bit light for the next six weeks or so, but I hope you're all enjoying the sunshine!

hearted!

I know it was a few days ago, but Valentine's Day in Montpelier is one of the best things ever.  This year, the Phantom trekked all the way out to my little studio...and we can't bear to take it down!

anniversaries, and taking the time

Do you ever have those days when you really, really need to get something done?  And instead of going the easy way, you end up spending three hours fitting together tiny pieces of metal together?
That was my yesterday.  And I am totally and completely in love with the results--the way all of the border pieces work together, the pale mint green ink, the size and weight of the lines--but it pushed back the Fort Can advertising posters another day.
You see, it's been just over a year since I called up a couple of artist friends, and talked them in to sharing studio space with me and my printing presses.  So we're having a party!
It's also the first time that I'll be showing in the gallery--it's a really big deal, and I have a series of prints in mind for the show. They're still in my head, so I'd better get back to work!

makin' art

Every time I walk into the printshop, I'm confronted by art. It's inspiring to see the two artists I share studio space with making and doing and experimenting and starting over when it goes bad.

It's a constant challenge: am I an artist? a crafter? a designer? a business owner?

All of the above?

Last week I got the chance to really create something out of nothing, and not think about pricing, or product shots, or checking the ink color with a client--be an artist, as it were. It's the one-hundredth anniversary of the Vandercook printing press, and I lucked into a spot on the poster exchange. I put it off until almost the last minute...this artist is a real procrastinator.

My idea was to tell my Vandercook story--make it mine. Here's the first color setup, on the press.

Pulling proofs: I have a soft soft for palimpsests.

And now a question for you: how do you balance the not-for-profit creative process with the need to make rent every month? Any suggestions?

works-in-progress

more re-bound journals:

photoshoot on a rainy afternoon:

brian + moose, sewing away:

a day in the life

On Wednesdays, my day starts at 8am. That may not be early for some of you, but I am most definitely not a morning person. At least until I've had a cup of coffee.
Which means that after I open the studio doors at 8, I sit on my bum and read, or listen to VPR, for an hour or so until the caffeine has kicked in. Today was no exception.





At 9, I put more of that plummy purple ink on the big C&P, and printed the details on the back of save-the-dates for Emily and John.





Then a short break--run home to check email--and back to work.
Sara Grace gave me a stack of posters two weeks ago, and I've been working on them slowly. Since she only needs ten or so for each date--and there were four dates, at four different venues, to be printed in four different colors--I've been doing one set every few days. Today was the last round!

(around the Vandercook's cylinder)

(all finished!)

And then clean up the second press, and run home for a very, very late lunch.

Yay for overprints!

Then Em & John, and Sara Grace stopped by to pick up their goodies, and I...
...get back to work. It's 7:30, and I'm finishing the first side of cards for The Lamb Abbey.

I'm feeling really accomplished today...it's rare that I get a full day in the studio, so it's pretty amazing to see what one person can accomplish. It was also lovely to have visitors (Brian's wife Linda with Baby E., and Ben & Ben & Gordon, and Sara & Lindsay, and Emily & John), and to geek out to two pretty good books on tape--which are a total staple around Fort Can.

harrumph.

Or, more precisely, *sigh.*

Last year, around this time, I was happily shopping at the ReStore and finishing holiday cards. January is a typically slow month in many ways--folks aren't spending money after the holiday glut, etc.--and I usually get a week or so to knit and hang out with friends.

Not so this year.

I shouldn't complain, really, not with all the seriously depressing financial forecasts, but I'm busy. A little too busy.

In the last week alone:

I'm so thrilled to be a part of this month's Poppytalk Handmade: Love Transforms. The market started last Monday, and I've had a fairly large response--sales, inquiries, compliments--all of which need to be responded to.

...which led to a shout-out on etsy's blog, and two etsy front page spots.

All of which involves the internet, which I don't have at the studio--only at home--so making that four mile round-trip a few times a day (posting new items to the shop, photographing new work, packing orders, printing labels, dropping them off at the post office) has me a little turned around.

Did I mention the crazy snow/twenty-below weather we've been having? The May Day mobile doesn't care for the cold, so I've been walking more than my knee wants to allow.

And that doesn't include the print work I have on schedule:
Inaugural Ball posters for the Lamb Abbey--a collaborative project with the Fort Can geniuses. Totally last minute, of course. (P.S. Brian + Tara were just photographed for the local paper--read more here.)

Party invitations for a local literary press:
(Still in progress--so no more details yet!)

Did I mention that I still work two other "day" jobs? Here's to a crazy 2009!

P.S. The workshop schedule is now posted, too. Whew!

intro workshop blur

Last night I taught the first (of what I hope will be many!) session of Intro to Letterpress in my studio. Thanks to Maria, Emily, and Megan for having the faith in me to sign up in the first place!

Unfortunately, all the pictures I took last night were blurry. I was feeling a bit blurry, too--it's been a long few weeks, kids, and this is just the beginning.
(above) Emily (below) Megan and Maria, all checking out my crazy collection of magnesium and copper images
Right now: running out the door to prep for tomorrow's Experience the Letterpress Thing in Chicopee. Next week's intro workshop: setting type!

P.S. I have one more spot left in my 10/18 Wood Type Fun workshop--email me now if youre interested!

open studio: recap

The open studio was great! Thanks to everyone who came, and talked my ear off, and tried the presses, and bought journals, and...

...everything. You kept me so busy, I didn't even get any pictures of the studio-in-action. For more pictures (well, more exciting than my gloves), check out photographer Curtis Savard, who stopped by (and stayed for awhile!) and Tara Jensen, fellow Fort Can-ite.

open studio

I hope you'll all (yes, all!) join me tomorrow at my open studio.It's been a very long day...and I'm still not ready! Back to work!

gocco fun!

Eva at my kitchen table, inking the first screen

Eva came by my house this morning to get a jump on her posters. As part of being a Fort Can artist-in-residence, Brian and I help with advertising your "show": Brian can consult about the art, and I handle the text--letterpress, of course. This month, B has his hands full with trying to repaint the walls, so I volunteered to show Eva how to use the Gocco.

I haven't used my machine in over a year (or more!), but the bulbs and screens were just fine, and Eva had a blast!
Two colors and sixty prints later...now they just need text!

chapbook -- day 2

Day 2 was not as productive as day 1. I only finished text page (I was shooting for two), because my knee was acting up. And Eva came by for a meeting about posters...she'll be the artist taking over the gallery for September.

you're invited

Fort Can Galley & Studios
requests your attendance at

STAMINA
Brian Zeigler and Tara Jensen
An installation completed by Zeigler and Jensen during a twenty-four hour drawing marathon. Explores time, endurance and the meaning of life. Featuring a Q&A with the artists and DJ John Brinker.
Saturday, August 9th 6-10 PM
190 River Street, Montpelier

for more information: the fort can blog